Mirpur resounds with repolling calls

MIRPUR (AJK) - AJKs comparatively developed city of Mirpur was rocked by the other day after thousands of people including the activists and the candidate of ruling Muslim Conference and the supporters of an independent candidate thronged the city streets, holding protest rallies in different localities of the city and adjoining areas against the alleged massive rigging in June 26 AJK Legislative Assembly elections, what they called, led to their defeat. The protestant rally unanimously demanded announcement by the AJK election commission within next two days for holding re-polling in both constituencies of LA-2 (Khari Sharif Mirpur) and LA-3 (Mirpur City) where the independent candidate Mrs Aweena Rukhsar and the Muslim Conferences candidate Ch Muhammad Ashraf respectively lost the election to the PPP candidates. Call for the mammoth protest rally was given by the ruling Muslim Conferences candidate from Mirpur city LA-3 constituency Ch Muhammad Ashraf against the alleged rigging in the polls that led to his defeat in the elections by his closest rival candidate Barrisrter Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry of PPP. Thousands of people including the Muslim Conferences workers brought out a big procession from his residence at Naangi. The procession marched through Allama Iqbal Road which later turned into a public meeting at Central Shaheed Chowk. Another rally taken out from Khari area led by Ch Rukhsar Ahmed, a former MLA and AJK minister and the husband of defeated independent candidate Mrs Aweena Rukhsar also joined the Shaheed Chowk rally staged by the Muslim Conference. The protesters were holding black flags besides wearing black armbands in protest against the alleged rigging in the polls. Addressing the rally, MC leader Ch Muhammad Ashraf, former Mirpur Mayor Ch Rukhsar Ahmed, former minister and MLA from Khari, MC local leader Shakoor Mughal and others announced to devise future course of action in case the holding of re-polling in both the constituencies of Mirpur were not announced by the AJK Election Commission within the next two days. They blamed that AJK faced worst type of rigging in June 26 polls in the elections history of AJK and the AJK Election Commission shall have to ensure the sanctity of the mandate of the people in both the constituencies of the district.